Wednesday, November 21, 2012

I find that quesadillas are a great way to
“clean out the fridge” by using up leftover cooked meats, bits of cheese, sauces
and chutneys.Am I the only one with about
30 different condiments on the inside of my fridge door!? David often asks me (in a less than friendly
manner) just how many different red pepper jellies does one really need?Ok, I’ll come clean, I paraphrased what he
usually says…

Quesdillas can be simple (think beans,
chicken, salsa), comforting (anything with lots of cheese and/or bacon) and
even gourmet. The following recipe for
artichoke, asiago & prosciutto quesadillas is a delicious appetizer that’s
fancy enough to serve company – preferably with a glass of sparkling wine.

I could go on and on… once you start making
quesadillas it’s easy to get creative as the options are endless.

Artichoke,
Asiago & Prosciutto Quesadillas

(makes one quesadilla – recipe easily doubles)

ingredients

·2 (two) flour tortillas

·1/3 (one-third) cup asiago
cheese, grated

·¼ (one-quarter) cup mozzerella
cheese, grated

·1/3 (one-third) cup artichokes,
drained and chopped/sliced

·2 (two) slices proscuitto

method

1.Grate asiago and mozzerella
cheeses. Drain and chop artichokes

2.Lay one tortilla on a clean
work surface. Sprinkle with asiago and
mozzerlla, top with chopped artichokes and 2 slices of proscuitto. Top with another tortilla, press to flatten.

3.Heat flat top grill to medium
high and lightly brush grill with canola or other vegetable oil. Grill each side until golden, about 1 – 1½ (one
to one-and-a-half) minutes per side. Alternatively,
grill in well-oiled frying pan. Note:Watch
closely as quesadilla’s can burn easily.

Wednesday, November 7, 2012

On David’s mother’s
birthday in November, I like to prepare for him one of the dishes he most often
associates with her. Usually, it’s
crepes with crispy bacon, syrup and cinnamon… sometimes it’s a dessert.

He always
appreciates the effort which makes me want to continue the tradition every
year.Although they’ll never meet her in
this life, (she’s been deceased for twenty-five years), I’m hoping that our
sons John and Michael will be able to somehow connect with their paternal
grandmother through these dishes.

Next week,
pineapple delight ambrosia will be making an appearance in our home. This is an easy, no-bake, recipe that serves a
crowd – you can halve the recipe (use an 8 inch by 8 inch pyrex dish instead)
without difficulty. It’s a nice recipe
to make in the dead of winter, when local fruits aren’t available.

“Pineapple Delight” Ambrosia

(recipe is for a 9
inch x 13 inch pyrex / glass dish)

ingredients for base crust

·4 – 5
(four to five) tablespoons butter, melted

·2
(two) cups graham crumbs

·4
(four) tablespoons granulated sugar

ingredients for butter layer

·1
(one) cup butter, should be soft, at room temperature

·1
(one) teaspoon pure vanilla extract

·2
(two) large eggs, at room temperature

·2
(two) cups icing sugar

ingredients for whipped cream/pineapple layer

·2
(two), 14 (fourteen) ounce cans crushed pineapple, drained well

·750
(seven hundred fifty) mL whipping cream, 35%

·2
(two) teaspoons pure vanilla extract

·3
(three) tablespoons granulated sugar, or more if you like (to your taste)

·2-3
(two to three) tablespoons graham crumbs, for garnish

method for base crust

1.Stir together graham crumbs, sugar and
melted butter and mix well. Spoon crumb
mixture into 9” x 13” pan and flatten to form the base crust. This crust is somewhat crumbly, so if you like
your crust firmer, add more butter. Place
pan in the refrigerator.

method for butter layer

1.Using a hand or stand
mixer, beat butter, vanilla and eggs together. Add icing sugar a little at a time and
continue beating. Keep an eye on the
icing sugar you need, it may be more or less, as it depends on your eggs. You should have a thick, but smooth creamy
mixture. Remember the butter in this
mixture will harden once refrigerated.

2.Carefully spoon this mixture over the base crust,
taking care not to disturb the graham crust. Refrigerate again.

method for whipped cream/ pineapple layer:

1.Add vanilla to whipping cream and beat
well. As cream begins to fluff up,
slowly add sugar and finish beating. The
whipped cream should be firm, but be careful not to over beat.

2.Gently fold well-drained
pineapple into whipped cream by hand. Spread
this mixture over the butter layer evenly. The pan will be filled to the brim. Sprinkle graham crumbs over the whipped cream layer.
Wrap with plastic seal and refrigerate. Chill a few hours before serving (so the butter
layer can firm up).